Offsetting mechanism for saw-mill carriages



(No Model.) 2 sheets-rsheet 1.

0. CLEVELAND. OFPSETTING MECHANISM FOR SAW MILL GARRIAGES.

No .453,23.4. Patented June 2, 1891.

(N0 Modl.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

O. E. CLEVELAND. OFFSETTING MECHANISM FOR SAW MILL GARRIAGES.

No. 458,234. Patented June 2,1891.

UNITED STATES ATENT Fries.

CHARLES E. CLEVELAND, OF FOND DU LAC, \VISCONSIN.

OFFSETTING MECHANISM FOR SAW-MILL CARRIAGES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No; 453,234, dated June 2, 1891.

Application filed December 12, 1890. Serial No. 374,525. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OHARLEs E. CLEVELAND,

a resident of Fond du Lac, in the county of Fond du Lac and State of WVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ofisetting Mechanism for Saw-Mill Carriages; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which form part of my specification, Figure 1 is a plan of the saw-mill carriage. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line E F of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a central section of the frictional device of the shifting mechanism detached. Fig. 4 is an end view of the same. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a link, and Fig. 6 is a bottom View of the same. Fig. 7 is a plan of a cross-bar and friction-rollers, and Fig. 8 is a transverse section of the same on line A B. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a locking-bar, a tie-bar being shown in section on the line C D of Fig. 7. Fig. 10 embraces an end elevation and longitudinal section of a frictionthimble. Fig. 11 is an end elevation of a sleeve and pin, and Fig. 12 is a longitudinal section of the same.

The saw-mill carriage is indicated by 23, and may be of any approved construction and provided with the usual appliances. This frame has cross-ties 11, conveniently made of T-iron, and it is mounted upon the truckaxles 17, 18, and 19. .These preferably have Wheels 17, 18, and 19, provided with a V- shaped peripheral groove, as indicated. The Wheels 17 18 and 19 can have a flat tread, as is usual.

G indicates diagrammatically the path of the saw. The carriage is adapted to be moved laterally on the axles of the trucks a small distance, in order to carry the log away from the saw during the return movement or when gigged back,and then to be moved to carry the log in front of the saw just before the commencement of the forward movement by the following-described devices.

8 indicates collars or sleeves mounted loosely upon axles 17 and'19,and carrying on their upper side steel studs or pins 7. These sleeves have no movement lengthwise of the axles, the one on axle 17 being held between hubs or fixed collars 22 and the one on axle 19 being held between a collar 22 and hub 3 of the friction-disk 3, which is fastened upon the axles by means of set-screws 6 in said hub 3.

1O 10 indicate links, each having a slot 25, in which is held a pin 7, provided with afriction-sleeve 9, which has a diameter equal to the width of the slot.

21 21 indicate connecting-rods pivoted to the ends of the links 10 and to the brackets 20, secured to the carriage-frame.

4 denotes a rack 011 the under side of one of the links 10, adapted to mesh with the segmental gear 2 on the hub of gear-plate 2, which surrounds the hub 3 of the frictiondisk 3.

24 24 are leather washers interposed between the plate 2 and the friction-disk 3 to prevent overheating and overwearing.

1 denotes a plate or disk similar to 2 and secured to it by screws 5, by which the friction between, plates 1 and 2 and disk 3 can be Varied. The annular plates or disks 1 and 2 are provided with overlapping flanges to exclude dirt, as indicated at 3 ltindicates a locking-bar, pivoted at 13 to a pendant from a beam 11, and provided with a locking-shoulder 14:, adapted to engage a connecting-rod 21 to prevent its lateral movement. In order to engage the notch '11 with bar 21, the treadle end of the locking-bar is depressed until the shoulderor face of said notch engages the side of the rod or bar 21. This operation bends down the spring 15, the tension of which is not sulficient to overcome the friction of the shoulder 14 on the bar 21 when the foot is released from the treadle.

14 is a foot-rest or treadle for convenience in moving the bar. This springis adapted to hold the bar out of engagement after its notch 14 has been released from rod 21 by lifting the treadle. The locking-bar is preferably located, as shown, within convenient reach of the setter, who can move it without leaving his seat. In case the devices are applied to saw-mill carriages already in use, whereon the setter is stationed near the center of the carriage, the location of the lock can be changed accordingly.

12 12 are rollers pivoted in projections on a cross-bar 11, which bear upon the upper side of a link 10 and hold its rack down upon the segmental gear 2.

26 is aslot formed in a projection on the under side of a bar 11, which slot is adapted to receive the upper end of pin 7, with its friction thimble or roller 9, the object being to prevent the sleeve 8 from being turned on the axle 19 by the link 10.

The operation of my devices is as follows: The parts being in the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the carriage is started back, the sectional gear 2, which has suitable frictional contact with the disk 3, fastened upon the carriage-axle 19, moves link 10, by reason of its engagement with the rack 1, thereon, a distance equal to the length of slot 25, or until the end of slot 25 strikes the sleeve 9 of pin '7. This movement has the efiect to turn the connecting-rods 21 about their pivots in the brackets 20, thereby exerting a pull upon the links 10 and upon the sleeves 8, which, being held firmly against any movement on the axles, compel the frame to follow the connecting-rods 21 and draw it away from the saw. Obviously a movement of the carriage in the opposite direction to that above describedsuch as occurs when the logis to be fed to the saw-will reverse the operation of the shifting mechanism and move the carriage toward the saw to bring the log immediately in front of it. The extent of these lateral movements of the carriage is determined by the slot 25 in link 10, which is limited in its movement by pin 7, thereby arresting the revolution of the sleeves and of the plates 1 and 2, though the friction-disk 3 and axle 19 continue to revolve, the friction on disk 3 beingmadeinsufiicient to seriously retard the movement of the carriage under such circumstances-that is, the friction is sufficient so that the plates 1 and 2are revolved with the friction disk 3, and, by means of the segmental gear engaging rack at, move the links and connecting-rods until the link engages the pin 7, the upper end of which is held in the slot 26 in the cross-bar. This arrests the movement of the rack and gear, the friction between disk 3 and platesl and 2 being overcome, so that the axles continue revolving, and the car runs on its track without further moving the links and connecting-rods. Vhen the car is reversed, the rack is again put in motion,but in an opposite direction, whereupon the frame is pushed laterally by the thrust of the connecting-rods to a position at right angles to the frame.

It is important to observe that thelinks are so held by their connection with the axles that they cannot move toward the saw or toward the frame, and consequently, as before stated, that when the connecting-rods 21 are moved about their pivots, so as not to be at right angles to the frame, said frame must be pulled toward the links, the distance between the frame and the links being the greatest when said connecting-rods are at right angles both to the links and the frame. It may also be noted that the lateral movementot' the frame is along a curved line. This has the elfect, when the carriage is moved, to start the frame away from the saw slowly, but with an accelerated motion, the reverse movement being, on the contrary, quick at its commencement and slow as the frame (or the log) approaches the saw. This comparatively small velocityof the frame and log at thebegmning of the offset movement and at the end of the return is characteristic of my improvement and prevents the vibrations, jarrin gs, and 1rregular movement of the saw produced by the use of ordinary cams, screws, or the like heretofore employed in offsetting.

The invention is notlimited to any particular number of rods, links, friction devices, carriage-trucks, and frame-bars, as the number of these and other details of arrangement and construction can be varied by mechanical skillwithout departing from the improvement, so long as substantially the same mechanical principles and operations are employed.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a saw-mill carriage, the combination of the frame provided with beams 11, the axles, the sleeves 011 said axles held against endwise motion and provided with pins '7, each engaging a slot in one of said beams to prevent rotation of the sleeves, rods pivoted to the frame and having their free ends connected by links and rod, said links being provided with slots which engage said pins and hold the links against movement lengthwise of the axles, and mechanism for moving the links lengthwise of the slot, substantially as described.

2. In a saw-mill carriage, the combination, with the truck-axles, of a carriage-frame movable lengthwise of the axles, a friction-disk fixed upon one of said axles, friction-plates adj ustably connected to said friction-disk, one of them being provided with a segmental gear, rods pivoted to the frame, having their free ends connected by links and rod, a rack on one of said links adapted to be engaged by said gear, and a stop arranged in the path of the connecting mechanism, adapted to arrest the movement of the links and rods, said links being held at a fixed distance from the ends of the axles, substantially as described.

3. In a saw-mill carriage, the combination, with the truckaxles, of a carriage-frame movable lengthwise of the axles, a friction-disk fixed upon one of said axles, friction-plates adjustably connected to said friction-disk, rods pivoted to the frameand having their free ends connected by links and rod, asegmental gear on one of the friction-plates, a rack on a link adapted to be engaged by said gear, and a stop arranged in the path of the connecting mechanism, adapted to arrest the movement of the links and rods, said stop consisting of a pin fast on a sleeve of the IIO axle, having its free end held in a transverselyslotted part of the frame, said sleeve being held against endwise movement of the axles, substantially as described.

at. In a saw-mill carriage, the combination of the frame, the axles, offsetting mechanism whereby the frame is adapted to be moved on the axles, and a positive locking device consisting of a bar pivoted to the frame and provided with a notch having a shoulder adapted to bear on the offsetting mechanism when the frame is nearest the saw to prevent the accidental operation of said offsetting mechanism, substantially as described.

5. In a saw-mill carriage, the combination of the frame, the axles, offsetting mechanism whereby the frame is adapted to be moved CHAS. E. CLEVELAND.

Witnessesi J NO. H. BURCH, F. L. SHEPARD. 

